Redrum?
by Fuwa2 Kyara
Summary: The Chaotix on a case... Mysterious code threats... Can they protect a rich man from the murder, or will they get murdered with him?
1. Murder Mystery

This is my first mystery story/fan fiction I've ever done. So if you're going to flame me... Please don't flame me badly... I'm very sensitive... I hope you like it! v  
  
P.S. I do NOT own the cutie Chaotix, nor any other characters from the Sonic Team/SEGA...  
  
Redrum!?  
  
Chapter 1 – Murder Mystery  
  
"Do you have a three?" Vector looks over his cards then at Charmy. He was at his last card while Vector still had 5.  
  
"Go fish!" Charmy smiles. Half evilly and half cutely. Vector groans and takes a card from the tiny deck. No pairs...  
  
"Do you have a queen?" Charmy asks cutely.  
  
Vector rolls his eyes and forked over his Q. Charmy takes it and throws the pair of Qs into his pile.  
  
"Yaay! I won, I won!" He cheered and he did a "victory dance" in mid air.  
  
"Ooh... One more time!" Vector says a bit angrily and gathers up the cards to shuffle into a rematch. Espio was leaning on the wall. He takes quick glances at the two on the couch and closes his eyes. It's been slow these past weeks. No crimes, no cases, no mysteries, no adventure... No fun. And Vector was getting tired of losing to Charmy in Go Fish. Espio goes back into his meditative state, but his eyes suddenly went to the door. Seconds later, a slim, "beautiful" – or in other words make-up covered- poodle lady entered the messy, dim-lighted office. She had SOMETHING for cosmetics. The smell of expensive perfume filled the room, and her face looked like she dipped her head with make-up. She had on white denim jeans, jacket, pink shirt, white cowboy/girl boots, and a white denim hat to top it all off, but that didn't hide her pretty curled "hair" (ears). She sexily walked to the desk, which Vector has rushed to to look professional. She ignored the unprofessional action, and asked. Looking at Espio, Charmy, and finally at Vector.  
  
"S'cuse me. Is this the Chaotix Detective Agency?" She asked elegantly, but with a western accent.  
  
"At your service ma'am." Vector thumbed himself.  
  
The lady slapped a hand on the desk to show she was serious, and went straight to the case.  
  
"M'name's Tracy Stagg. Someone's threatenin' to murder mah husband for his fortune." Vector sat up from the laid-back position in his chair. Now it was getting interesting!  
  
"Any examples of threats?" Vector signals Charmy to take down notes. Charmy took out a note pad with a fuzzy black and yellow striped cover from his vest pocket, and Espio just listens in his quiet and cool manner. ((/-v- Espio!))  
  
"There was a strange letter..." She said as she dug around in her little side- bag for an envelope. When she got it, she gave it to Vector. He looked at it for a second, and gave it to Espio. The letter was written in a strange way, but Espio found it out easily... Or at least how it was written.  
  
"This letter is written backwards, and each letter is switched in places." He said plainly.  
  
"What's it say? What's it say?" Charmy zipped around Espio excitedly.  
  
"'Dear' 7 underscores" Espio starts. "'Your end. The beginning. F.F. 42304...." He looks at the envelope. "No return address... Typical." Espio sighed.  
  
"F.F. 42304?... Weird!" Charmy said as he took down his notes. Vector stroke his chin. "Real peculiar... We'll be on it right away. Where do you and your husband live?"  
  
"A mansion at the edge of Frog Forest." She answered casually as she examined her nails.  
  
"Mystic Mansion!?" Charmy looked up from his note pad in fright. He still remembers their experience there. Ghosts, Eggman robots, mysterious switches and all of the spookiest things spooky can be. Charmy was trying to forget that place.  
  
"No. S'much different. Y'll notice it when y'all get there... G'bye." She looks out the window for a quick second, then pulls down her cowboy hat and heads out the door.  
  
Vector got up from his chair. He smiles in confidence of the case. "Well..." Vector starts.  
  
"Let's get cracken'!"  
  
And, END of chappie 1! 


	2. Cracking a Clue

Chapter 2 – Cracking a Clue  
  
The three sit at a table... Looking at the evidence of the murder threat.  
  
"Hmm.." Vector looks at Charmy's notes. "' F.F. 42304'...."  
  
"'F.F. 42304'...." Charmy repeats. "Maybe F.F. stands for February first!... Or February fifth... Or fifteenth... or- " Charmy gets cut-off by Vector.  
  
"What about the 42304?... Address?" He scratched his head.  
  
Espio looks up after reading the letter several times over. "If 42304 is the address number, the F.F. must be the street or place." Espio says in a normal tone.  
  
"Umm... Fighting Foodons?" Charmy asks with a little uncertain tone in his voice, even with a smile.  
  
"That's an anime on TV and not a street nor any place... Even if it DOES initial F.F..." Vector looks at Charmy pathetically.  
  
"Oh yeah..." Charmy smiles in an apologetic way.  
  
"F.F....." Espio repeats to himself. Then his eyes widen a bit at a thought of something. Vector and Charmy have the same look on their faces as well.  
  
"Frog Forest!" The three stood up and said to each other at the same time.  
  
"Do you think it really IS Frog Forest?" Charmy asks tilting his head a bit and crossing his arms in uncertainty.  
  
"I'm not too sure... Even if it WAS true... We don't know if that's the crime spot, a clue or anything!" Espio said without looking at the two, but the envelope, then the letter again.  
  
"And what if F.F. 42304 WAS the date instead of the address?" Vector added.  
  
"?????....." The guys were getting confused and frustrated. Silence built up in the room, and nothing was said nor heard in the room except the clock ticking away. Until...  
  
Knock Knock Knock Vector went to the door, while Charmy and Espio continue guessing about the letter. Vector opened the door. He saw no one, even after looking around. When he looked near the door step, he saw a package. Before Vector closed the door, he looked around to see if the mailman was there... Or anybody else that might walk past. He looked at the package. No address. Not even a "Chaotix Detective Agency" written on it. Espio and Charmy flinch. They look at each other, then the calendar, and finally at Vector... Who is inspecting the package until he notices the two staring at him as if they saw a ghost.  
  
"What?" Vector asks, but Espio grabs the package all of a sudden, rushes to the window and opens it, then he threw the package at the sea as far as possible. Before Vector could ask what in the world he was doing, they all heard a loud explosion in the water. Espio closed the window as it started to rain ocean water that got flung into the sky by the explosion. Espio lets out a sigh of relief and looks at Vector. Who is shocked at what had just happened.  
  
"F.F., I'm not too sure of. 42304 is: 4 as in April... Fourth month of the year... 23 as in the 23rd. 04 as in 2004. Which is exactly today." Espio goes over to the table and looks at the letter once more.  
  
"'Your end' as in OUR end... And 'the beginning' is the beginning of a big case." Espio finishes, and puts the letter back into the envelope.  
  
"Thanks Espio. You saved us all!" Vector said... Really relieved, but then makes a serious face. "We better get going to the Staggs TODAY... Something might happen!"  
  
End of chappie 2! 


	3. Stagg Suspect

Chapter 3 – Stagg Suspect  
  
Charmy pushed the doorbell of the Staggs' mansion until Espio pulled him away. Kids love pressing buttons for some strange reason. An annoyed butler opened the door. He was a slender Dalmatian-guy in a fading black suit, glasses, and all the other stuff you see on a butler. "You rang?" He said in an English accent.  
  
"This is the Chaotix Detective Agency. We're here to talk to Mr. Stagg about the murder threat." Vector says casually.  
  
The butler just opened the door and let them in. Vector walks in looking around, then Espio. He bows to the butler as he goes in. Charmy followed them in. He looks back at the butler for a second, until he gives him a glare. Charmy got a little frightened and buzzes into Mr. Stagg's office where Espio and Vector went into.  
  
The room was as nicely decorated as the entrance. Pictures of famous- looking people, expensive-looking vases, and the crystal chandeliers made the room look as if it was made out of gold. Mr. Stagg was at the large window, and was now talking to Vector and Espio. Charmy flew over and took down notes from what he had heard.  
  
"Nobody ever detested you? No rivals of any sort?" Espio asks in his always- serious voice.  
  
He says with a complete opposite tone as Espio's. "Oh not at all! Everybody around here says I'm a great man!" ((Or in this case a poodle -.-))  
  
"Mind if we look around?" Vector asks when he is already looking under the sofa cushions.  
  
"Not at all! Go ahead! I won't bother you!" He said cheerfully.  
  
Espio sighed. He found Mr. Stagg's cheerfulness was a little annoying.  
  
Vector was now looking in the bookshelves, while Espio was walking around on the ceiling to find any clues THERE. Charmy was taking photos of the place for more clues, until he broke one of the vases.  
  
"Oops." Charmy quickly tried to clean it up.  
  
Vector slapped a hand over his eyes in embarrassment. Espio just kept searching for clues, but with a "just pathetic" look on his face.  
  
"Oh my, oh my! Let me help you clean that up!" Mr. Stagg rushed over.  
  
Charmy took pieces of the vase carefully so he doesn't cut himself, and so did Mr. Stagg. As they did so, Charmy spotted a tiny round object under a piece of the vase.  
  
"Hey guys! I think I found something!" He gave it to Vector and hoped it was a clue.  
  
Vector examined it closely. Holding the marble-sized object close to his eyes. Espio suddenly noticed movement at the corner of his eye by the door. He signaled Vector that he'll be checking something out, and signaled Mr. Stagg to keep quiet. In a small gust of wind with leaves circling Espio, he turned invisible by camouflaging. Espio crept over to the door that was left open by Charmy, and went out into the hallway. Nobody was there. Unusually the lights were turned off, and only the sunshine provided some light. Espio looked around as he walked around in the hallway. Nobody was there. Suddenly from the darkness, someone grabbed him around the neck and put a towel over his mouth. By the time he noticed a peculiar odor and a question of 'How was I seen when I was camouflaged?' He fainted.  
  
"I wonder what's taking Espio so long." Vector whispered to Charmy incase there was anybody spying. Charmy just shrugged as he looked closely at the tiny mechanic marble inside the plastic bag. There was a knock at the door to the room they were in. The butler's head peeked in, and asked if he could enter. When he did, he was carrying a knocked out Espio in his arms.  
  
"I found him unconscious in the hallway." He said as if nothing was wrong, and STILL with the English accent.  
  
"Espio!?" Vector and Charmy say in disbelief. 


	4. Blast that Bomb!

Chapter 4 – Blast that Bomb!  
  
The chameleon has awakened with a wet cloth on his forehead and on a couch. He still felt a bit dozy but was able to sit up.  
  
"Uhh... What happened?" He says wearily seeing Charmy, Vector and Mr. Stagg sitting near him.  
  
"You've been unconscious in the hallway." Vector says casually. "!... I must've been ambushed." He says angrily to himself.  
  
"How could anybody see you when you were camouflaged?" Charmy asks curiously.  
  
"I asked that question to myself too... And I don't know. Goggles or scopes perhaps?"  
  
Vector stroked his chin. "Our criminal knows we're on their tail. They must've gotten some info on our abilities and countered Espio's like so."  
  
"Before passing out, I think I heard someone say something..." Espio takes the wet cloth off his head.  
  
"What did he or she say?" Vector turns to Espio.  
  
"I don't remember too clearly... I think... It was something about-"  
  
Charmy flew around while the two talked. Holding the bag with the metal marble, he looked at it closely. He noticed a tiny red blip of light and it made tiny mechanical beeps.  
  
"Uhh, guys?" Charmy says in an unsure tone.  
  
Espio's eyes widen as he looks toward Charmy.  
  
"Bomb!! Throw it Charmy! And run!" he shoves Vector and Mr.Stagg out the door. As soon as Charmy throws it to the far side of the room, Espio grabs him. He ran out the front door and threw himself flat on the ground with Charmy.  
  
KA-BOOM!!!  
  
"That was too close." Espio looked back at the mansion that was now spewing out smoke from the windows and door. Charmy notices Mr.Stagg looking around frantically. "What are you looking for?" He asks.  
  
"I'm looking for a who.... Brenden is gone!" Mr.Stagg replies panickingly.  
  
"Oh no! He must've been left behind in the mansion... He didn't make it out." Vector gasps.  
  
Mr.Stagg puts his hands on his face and said. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh-DEAR!"  
  
Once again, sorry it was late. I have tons of stuff. A middle s kid has a lot to do ya know! Well I hope you liked it. Stick around for my next chappie and don't fade on me!  
  
P.S. Brenden is the butler. 


	5. Captured Culprit

Chapter 5 – Captured Culprit  
  
"Oh my goodness! Brendan is-, Brendan is- / . " Mr.Stagg stammered and suddenly fell to the ground.  
  
Charmy poked him with a stick. "He fainted."  
  
In minutes, Mrs.Stagg rushed out of a white limousine that drove in.  
  
"What in tarnation is goin' on?" She said with a bit of worry in her tone of voice.  
  
"Someone set a bomb and it exploded. Luckily we got out safely." Vector smiles sheepishly.  
  
"Unfortunately your butler – Brendan – didn't make it out." Espio lowers his head.  
  
"Mah... That IS unfortunate..." She says lowering her head as well.  
  
Unwanted silence ringed in the air for a few minutes, but Mrs.Stagg was first to break it.  
  
"Maybe y'all should go home. I don't think there's anything for us to be staying here anymore." She pulls Mr.Stagg into the limmo and drives away.  
  
The Chaotix was still silent when they got back. Thinking how they could've messed up like that. Vector reviewed the clues, Espio stood his place at the lockers, and Charmy was watching cartoons that didn't seem funny today.  
  
Soon Charmy turns off the TV and heads to the bathroom.  
  
"I'm gonna take a shower so don't turn on the taps, okay?" Charmy noted. Vector and Espio don't answer. Espio saw Charmy's shoes thrown out in the hall. The socks got thrown and then his orange vest. Espio found it unamusing and was about to close his eyes to meditate, but he notices a piece of paper sticking out from the collar. The chameleon walked over and looked at it. It was burnt on the edges, but it was still legible. He read what he could, but something hit him. (Mentally)  
  
Espio rushes over to Vector. After comparing the letter's hand writing and the piece of paper, they rush into the bathroom.  
  
"AAH! Can't a bee get some privacy!?" Charmy screamed and hid in the laundry basket.  
  
The next morning the Chaotix rushed over to a fancy hotel the Staggs were staying at for the moment. After knocking on the door they were let into the living room.  
  
"What are y'all here for?" Mrs.Stagg asks.  
  
"Well-uh... We were wondering about the payment." Vector scratches his head.  
  
"We never turn down work that pays." Espio added on cue as he leaned on the door.  
  
"You didn't solve the case, and you caused enough trouble. Sorry, but y'ain't gettn' a payment." She said plainly.  
  
"I bet you just wanna keep all the money to yourself!" Charmy sneered.  
  
"Charmy!" Vector and Espio hissed.  
  
Mr. And Mrs.Stagg were shocked. "What!?"  
  
Vector cleared his throat and takes out the letter.  
  
"You remember the letter you gave us that was from the criminal?" Vector asks.  
  
"Yes." Mrs.Stagg answers.  
  
Click!  
  
"What in the name of Hades!?" Mrs.Stagg exclaims at the cuffs on her wrists.  
  
"Then I suppose you remember writing it." Vector smiles tauntingly, showing the burnt piece of paper Espio found. It was the same hand writing as it was on the letter except neater. "'ll always be e can marr Love Tracy" it said. Tracy Stagg.  
  
"You wrote the letter with your left hand so you thought it may have disguised your writing." Espio walked over to the sofa Vector was sitting in.  
  
"You even set those bombs yourself too didn't you?" Vector added.  
  
"Yeah. I knew y'd be on the case so I thought of gettn' rid of you. I wrote the riddle to make you stay in for the bomb package." Mrs.Stagg spat.  
  
"Tracy... Why did you do it?" Mr.Stagg asked in concern.  
  
"Your money of course. Who'd marry a geezer like you?" She said coldly. "Since the bomb package didn't work, I made Brendan ambush your chameleon. While y'all were panicking, I was gonna let the mansion go sky high while Brendan brought the money to me. Too bad he was too slow to get out himself."  
  
Silence started to fill the room until Charmy snickered.  
  
"What's so funny?" Mrs.Stagg glared at the 6 year old.  
  
"You're pretty dunce." He said while he tried to keep himself from laughing his head off.  
  
"What'd you say!?"  
  
"I checked behind a portrait and saw the safe. Since the money was in there and Brendan had to get it, he'd have to be spotted doing it! You even blew up your money in the explosion..... BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!" Charmy cracked up.  
  
Mrs.Stagg turned red.  
  
"You're under arrest." Espio says coolly.  
  
Later Mrs.Stagg was taken away by the police.  
  
"Bye-bye honey! I hope you don't get too lonely in jail!" Mr.Stagg called to her in a non-teasing way.  
  
'You've GOT to be kidding me.' Espio thought raising an eye-ridge at Mr.Stagg.  
  
THIS AIN'T THE END YET READERS! I've got another chappie comin' up! It's full of action! Stick around. (I'll just say SORRY now incase I get it posted late again...) Are you a Charmy lover? Then you'll love the next chappie!... I hope. 


	6. Charmy's Chase

Chapter 6 – Charmy's Chase  
  
"We solved the case but we didn't get big bucks. Just a 10 dollar bill since the money got blasted." Vector groaned.  
  
Espio sighs. "You must be upset too... Huh Espio?" Charmy asks.  
  
"No..." He shook his head. "You know when I got ambushed? I'm still wondering how Brendan actually saw me camouflaged..." Espio says while looking at the ground in thought.  
  
"He used a scope disguised as glasses." A whisper was heard.  
  
"What!?" The Chaotix turned to Mr.Stagg.  
  
"I mean.... Oops?" Mr.Stagg peeps out.  
  
"How did you know about that when Brendan was against you?" Charmy stares at him. All three of the Chaotix do.  
  
"We need an answer." Espio said crossing his arms.  
  
"Well!?" Vector was planning on forcing the answer out if he doesn't spill it.  
  
Silence floated around again in the air. Mr.Stagg was stiff. Vector was counting to 5 in his mind. Espio was getting impatient. Charmy had a glimmer of hope for action. Silence was still hanging around until Mr.Stagg kicked the sand and caused smoke to go up. Blinding the Chaotix.  
  
"You'll never get me!" He cried and heard footsteps running away.  
  
"Darn that dog!" Vector started running. Espio and Charmy follow as the smoke clears.  
  
Mr.Stagg ran as fast as he could towards the forest with the Chaotix right on his tail... Well at least Espio was.  
  
"How... Does.. He ... Run... So FAST!?" Vector panted trying to catch up.  
  
"I dunno, but my wings are getting tired!" Charmy cried.  
  
Now the two ahead were in the forest. Espio was nearing Mr.Stagg and was about to nab him, when Mr.Stagg turned around and threw something at the ground. KA-BOOM!!! Another bomb! Luckily Espio missed it, but Mr.Stagg kept throwing tons more. BLAM! BOOM! BOOF!  
  
"Whoa!" Espio exclaimed at the last one that was about to blast his leg off.  
  
BOOM!! "AAH!" Espio yelled in pain as he got hurtled into a tree.  
  
"Espio!" Vector and Charmy called out as they ran to where Espio lay unconscious.  
  
Vector looked over him. "He's hurt bad. You go get him to a doctor.... Right. You can't carry him since he's too heavy for ya..." Vector thought for a quick moment.  
  
"You go chase after Stagg." Vector told Charmy.  
  
"What!?" Charmy squeaked in disbelief.  
  
"Just go!" Vector commanded.  
  
"....... Y-, YES SIR!" Charmy instantly flew off as Vector carried Espio to a hospital.  
  
Mr.Stagg noticed a buzzing sound headed towards him. "Hm?" He looks back to see Charmy making a direct course at Mr.Stagg. He sneered.  
  
"Hah! The two left a puny thing like you after me? Pathetic!"  
  
"You'll wish you never said that, you pooie patookied pooch!" Charmy stormed at him from the comment.  
  
"Even your come-backs are pathetic." He said to himself. Mr.Stagg got more bombs ready for Charmy and threw them into the air. Charmy dodged them easily since they explode when they hit something.  
  
"Lame-oh!" Charmy made a face at him.  
  
"I'll show you!" Mr.Stagg was furious now. He threw about 10 of them each time. Charmy started to wonder where he keeps all those.  
  
"Nah-nah!" Charmy sang.  
  
"Grrrr." Mr.Stagg was running backwards now, looking to see if he was headed into a tree now and then. "Huh?" Mr.stagg ran out of bombs. Charmy smiled. He knew he was gonna run out SOMETIME! The two was out of the forest now and was headed towards a canyon without noticing. The two finally stop. Charmy let his wings rest and Mr.Stagg caught his breath. The two glared at each other as they took the time out. Suddenly, Mr.Stagg noticed that there was one more bomb left in his pocket and sneered. Mr.Stagg took it out. Charmy panicked and tried to run, but by the time he got up and did, it would've hit him. When Mr.Stagg drew his arm back to throw- ZZZZOOOOM!! A blue light zipped past right in front of Mr.Stagg that made him spin like a top. "AYEEE!" Mr.Stagg screamed until the spinning slowed and he fainted from the dizziness.  
  
"Wha?" Charmy grabbed a looooong bendable tree branch and tied Mr.Stagg onto it. Charmy got out from his vest pocket a cell phone that Espio and Vector gave him for a birthday present. He called the police.  
  
A helicopter came and dropped Charmy off at the hospital. In the room Espio was in, Charmy explained what was really going on.  
  
"So every thing Mrs.Stagg said about stealing Mr.Stagg's fortune was a lie. The burnt love letter piece and stuff were all what they made to make something seem like what it wasn't, and stuff. The two stole the money together and were great thieves and criminals until we came to stop crime and stuff. This whole plan was to get rid of the Chaotix so they can steal and cause crime all they want!" Charmy gasped to catch his breath from nonstop talking.  
  
Vector smiled. "I'm just glad the mystery was solved. (Even if we didn't get any moolah out of it.)"  
  
Espio smiled lightly as well. "Thank you Charmy for taking care of Stagg."  
  
"Hehe. It was nothing. (Really)" He looked away in embarrassment.  
  
"Team Chaotix." Vector started as he put a hand out. "Solving crimes." Espio put his hand on top of Vector's. "We'll never be beaten!" Charmy cheered and put his hand on top of the two's.  
  
"YEAH!" They shouted.  
  
"....Umm, Vector." Espio started stiffly.  
  
"Yeah?" He asks.  
  
"You're squishing my injured leg..."  
  
"Oh... Sorry."  
  
END!  
  
I hope you liked it! BTW, the blue blur was one of my fav hadgehogs. (Sonic) Oh, sorry for the people that love Espi as much as I do, but- Espio – "ESPI!?" It's something I do. Espio – "How can I be one of your favourite characters when you kill me!?" (Sonic/Anime gets Piko-piko hammer) BOP! Espio – "See.. What I... Mean?....XX" Payback for what you did to me in the Bio! (Piko-piko hammer leaves my hand and-) BLAM! Sonic/Anime – "XX" Amy – "That's what you get for taking my hammer!" 


End file.
